Marine Rescue Port Macquarie (MRPM) volunteers performed a rescue with a difference on Saturday afternoon.
Volunteer Ken Brown was out training a new recruit, Blake, on Hastings River when he saw a distressed looking man staring up at a tree at a riverside park near the ferry.
Taking a closer look, he could see a young child was up the tree and extremely upset, he said.
Mr Brown moored the boat at a nearby wharf, whilst his younger recruit went to help the man, who was later discovered to be Pastor Kerry Medway of the Grace Church.
He was trying to coax his grandchild from the tree, but the child appeared to be too scared to climb down.
The Marine Rescue volunteer scaled the tree and carried the youngster down to safety.
MRPM also responded to two distress calls on Sunday.
MRPM’s Geoff Shelton said at 3am on Sunday morning the radio base received a frantic call from a ‘bream boat’, which is a small 3.5 metre tinnie, being washed out over the bar.
“There was a strong run out tide at the time and the occupants (two) certainly would have had a rough ride through the run out pressure waves,” he said.
“They were extremely lucky they didn’t capsize.
“Our pagers and text buddy systems were operated and our boats were launched at 3:12.
“The people were rescued at 3:20, shaken but unharmed.”
Mr Shelton said MRPM crew members were putting the boats away when another call was received from Marine Area Command in Sydney.
“There was a vessel broken down but anchored 100 metres off rocks at Hat Head. Marine Rescue Port Macquarie were tasked with the job,” he said.
“Rescue 1 then proceeded to the position but, due to a very strong current running, it took just under two hours to reach the vessel.
“It was a five metre professional fishing vessel with one person on board.
“The boat was successfully towed back into Hat Head. Rescue 1 then came back to Port arriving around 9:30am.”
It goes to show that Marine Rescue doesn’t just assist those at sea.
Marine Rescue is in desperate need of new recruits/volunteers.
Mr Brown said training was provided for the rewarding role one plays.
For more information, contact Ken Brown on 0401 109 996.
